The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-02

the meeting Of the American Public Health
association, held in that city November s-ll.
IL is now over six years since the sewerage
OF Memphis as designed and built by Col.
George Il. Waring jr., was completed. The
deyiatiOns that were then made from the
principles which had previously been else
where adopicd-in other words, the "nov-
elites" which entitled the system to be called
"Waring SYSTEM" In distinction from others
have had an ample opportunity TO receive
n thorough test. In view OF the notoriety
that had been given 20 il In this and foreign
countries, and of the criticisms made by
American and English engineers, and in
your columns at the time, it was particular
~ interesting to see how far the praise and
blame were mcrtcd, and what real advances
the science OF sewerage engineering had
made.
The works since their completion have
been in charge Of Mr.. Niles Meriwcther, en-
gineer, and Mr.. Anthony Ross, superintend-
cnt. These gentlemen have endeavored 10
manage and extend them as far as practica-
BILE in accordance with the instructions left
Ivy Col. Waring and both, from the interest
they have taken in securing success for the
work intrusted 10 them and from the results
they have achieved, have proved themselves
in every way competent Tor the task.
For the sake of Clcarness, let me briefly re-
view the essential features OF the "Waring'
system in Memphis, and point out those
which were novel:
1. Exclusion Of all rain water from the
sewers. While both In Europe and America
the slt-bearing street water had been exclud.
cd from sewers wherever the separate system
was adopted, yet no other city had made the
attempt 10 strictly exclude also the compare
lively clean roof and yard water.
.. Soil-drainugc by an independent system
| OF pipes leading 10 separate outfalls. This
feature was not novel one.
O. Ventilation Of the street sewers through
the housc-dpins and Soil-ppcs. This prac'
| tiCc is In use IN number of European cities.
4. Automatic hush-tanks at the head OF
all the lateral sewers. Although such tanks
Ind before been advocated aud used else
where. yet nowhere was il done TO the same
extent as in Memphis.
q. NJ man-holcs on the latcrals. This
feature was entirely novel.
O. Limitation ~ house-drains 10 a diane
ter OF four inches. While this restriction
had never before been advocated for who'll
city, numerous isolated instances existed.
I. Lateral sewers were 10 be six inches In
| diameter until the maximum How OF sewag,
| filled them half full This was likewise Q
new feature when applied TO street sewers.
The novelties Introduced by Colonel
| Waring. therefore, were:
Strict exclusion Of all rain water; use Of
automatic flush-tanks on every lateral
practical adjustment Of manholes; house
drums limited to diameter OF four inches
and lateral sewers limited mainly 10 siA
| inches.
shall examine them in this order
1. While In theory il may be possible TO pre-
vent persons from di>charging the rain-watel
from their premises into the sewer yet IN
| practice IL seems impossible. Although stree
measures were applied, yet the Memphis
sewers began 10 he 80 oyerchargcd during
rains by surrcptitious connections that over
flowing pipes had 90 be laid ~ the bayou OF
ditch ruahinr through the city, and last yeai
n new twcnty-fUur inch interuepting sewer
dischnrging directly into the Mississippi, had
10 be built airUss the city 10 finally rcliey,
| the nuisance caused by the storm-water over
flows into tho comparatively dry bayou. Al
| there Il no reason whatever In Memphis why
| the rain-water from houses should not gC
| into the sewers 10 flush them and TO relieve
the property, this restriction cannot be called
| good one.
| 9. The use Of automatic flush tanks at IN,
head Of all the lntcrals docs not seem 70 hay'
been fully justified In Memphis. Thu
ground l. generally sloping and at man,
points quito steep. and the sewers would IL
some cases seem 20 be able 10 keep fairl,
clean without daily flushing. The ongince
| told me this was actually the fact In seyera
instances OF now lntcrnls where no tanks Ia,
been put ia. This shows that discrimina
ton II advisable for economical construction
and maintenance. Tho best use for auto
matte flush tanks Is on Hat grades, wher
they are sometime. almost indispensable
| They must be considered rather luxury OF
steep grades,
g. The Adjustment Of manholcs on later
| al al 81 la all y al
Waring. but disapproycd by engineers gen
orally. must be vt down M q failure. TIN
| frequent stoppagcs In the lalcmls, at the rat
| OF about three per week, and the cOnstan
| tearing w ~ the sewer would have beef
avoided had there been proper means Of nc
cess. MhcU repeated stuppagcs occurrc,
manholcs have been inserted, aud there an
now about seventy on the lateral sewers
where at first lherc were none. In planning
for the cNtcntion 81 the system In the north
crn part Of the city. Mr.. Mcnwether Ia
concluded 10 place a manholc at every stree
intersection.
4. The Limitation Of four-inch diameter 70
house pipes likewise cannot be called n sue
cess. Owing 10 the entrance OF rubbish
which seems unprcvcntablc In other cities a
well NJ I'm Memphis, stoppagcs are frequent
amounting according 10 Mr. Ross 10 severn
every week. The difference between ia
sire u the sewer pipe and Of the largest open
ing into u must I've greater than a iour-incl
pipe permits whom carthcn pipe Is used. Ia
pcfience has amply proven that diametc
of ix inches " the only safe minimum 70
the main house dmin under such conditions
When a four.inch pipe i relied on u needs
great fall, abundant flushing, aud special
we'll jointod pipes.
o. The use Of axinch pipe for street sew
ors has also shown itself 20 be an impropc
restriction. A report Of Mr. Niles McrTi
wcthcr says; I'm future nothing less tha
cifhl.inch pipe will b. used In the branc
or lateral lines, as al the distractions whio
have occurred In the branches In the pas
have been Ia tho six and none In the oigh
inch" The same experience was alrcad
had years ago In England, where pipe sew
crs were for the iirst time extensively used
and In America We have since had ahundau
confirmation. With six-inch house pipe
the cight.inch street pipes have given M
trouble.
Every ono Of the dcviations made by Col
Waring frpm the principles prcyiousl
adopted, and strcnuously defended by him
have therefore proved 10 he either OF mino
importance or wholly Questionable.
An additional point although not essen
tial 10 the system ~ a general one, must mo-
be overlooked. The sewers arr often CON
planned Of ~ being altogether too shall low
They are generally from four 20 six feet dec
and are unable 10 receive the drainage fror
cellars. Mr.. Ross stated that they should b
at least twelve feet deep 90 do what the pee
pie often demand. This depth Is the CON
| mon one IN many of our cities, and for n pet
mancnt system Il should guncmlly not b
less In view Of the great economy require
az the time the Memphis sewers were built
it may be questioned whether the expense q
twice the present depth would not hay
been too much VI tax on the people. Al
ultimate reconstruction Of most OF the laicru